TheCable

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior, has asked for closer collaboration between the military and paramilitary to strengthen national security.

Tunji-Ojo spoke on Thursday when Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff (CDS), visited him in his office in Abuja.

Alao Babatunde, the minister’s chief press secretary (CPS), said in a statement that Tunji-Ojo stressed the critical role that military personnel played in supporting the agencies under the ministry during various operations.

He noted the need to bridge the gaps between the ministry and the military by promoting efficient resource allocation and intelligence sharing.

The minister emphasised the importance of training initiatives, particularly for personnel of the Nigeria immigration service stationed at border checkpoints, and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who are safeguarding forested areas.

He also advocated for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate coordination and operational assistance between agencies under the ministry and the military.

“There are numerous responsibilities that I believe the nitty-gritty can be worked out in a Memorandum of Understanding MoU between our agencies and the Nigerian military, encompassing equipment, training (which entails know-how), and other operational assistance,” Tunji-Ojo said.

“I want it to be your legacy, my legacy, and above all, the legacy of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the military and the Nigeria Immigration Service were able to synergize and protect our border in such a way that any internal threat can be contained internally.”

While speaking, Musa also stressed the need for cooperation between the defence and ministry of interior in addressing security issues.

“Those days, the defence came in because we were fighting conventional warfare, mostly country to country but now, the fight is within,” the defence chief said.

“We are fighting unknown actors -people you don’t know about. That makes it very critical. And, that’s why I want to assure you that we are going to collaborate with you.”